Residents of Rathcoran Housing Estate in Baltinglass, along with neighbouring community groups, are invited to participate in the Street Feast Festival on Sunday, 25th May, for an afternoon filled with fun, food, community planting and outdoor games.
The event will run from 12-3pm, providing an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate diversity, encourage integration and honour our community spirit.
On the day of the festival, attendees will have the chance to meet Rathcoran Estate’s Artist in Residence, Siobhán Madden and participate in a hands-on art and planting workshop that promotes creative engagement with nature. There will be plenty of activities for children and families to enjoy, including a slime workshop, a petting farm, face painting, music, and games— all free to participate in.
Over the past year, Rathcoran residents have collaborated with Respond and Wicklow County Council’s Creative Places Baltinglass programme to identify ways to deliver new projects and activities aimed at enhancing the neighbourhood.
As a result of this collaboration, Respond and Wicklow County Council are delighted to offer this day of community participation in conjunction with the national Street Feast day of food sharing. Residents are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks to consume and share.
Niamh Randall, Respond’s National Spokesperson, commented: “Community is at the heart of everything we do at Respond. We know that creating strong, connected neighbourhoods supports people’s wellbeing and helps places to thrive. Events like this are a brilliant example of how we can work in partnership with Wicklow County Council and local residents to bring people together and build a sense of belonging. Our Tenant Experience team has been proud to support the Rathcoran community in shaping this special day, and we look forward to many more collaborations in the future.”
Speaking on the upcoming event, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Cllr. Paul O’Brien said: “I’m delighted to see this community and family engagement event taking place in the Rathcoran Estate as part of the Creative Places Baltinglass programme. We thank the residents for their input in planning what promises to be a great day out for the whole community.”
Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Emer O’Gorman said: “Partnerships such as this between Wicklow County Council and Respond are innovative and they support wellbeing in communities for residents to thrive. We hope everyone has an enjoyable afternoon at the Street Feast Festival.”
This event is coordinated and presented by Respond Housing Association and supported by the Creative Places Baltinglass project run by Wicklow County Council and the Arts Council. The project has also been funded as part of the Brain Health Project initiative by Respond. Special thanks are given to Men’s Shed for their assistance in building the planting structures in the community garden and to the residents of the estate who contributed their ideas to design a day for all their neighbours to enjoy.
IMAGE: Siobhán Madden and Ray Brooks, Rathcoran. Photo Credit: Respond Housing
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